Roof construction



Sept. 3, 1935- o. F. GRAEBNER ROOF CONSTRUCTION Filed June 6, 1952 INVENTOR 0550 F Graelvyer:

ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 3, 1935 ROOF CQNSTRTUCTION of Delaware Application June 6, 1932, Serial No. 615,523

1 Claim.

My invention relates to roof top constructions and particularly to the method and means for securing a top panel to a vehicle body.

It been the custom heretofore to construct an automobile body from sheet metal forming the sides, front and back which extend inwardly at the top section to form a crown leaving a large central opening which was covered by a water proof material.

that an entire metal roof was nota desirable construction because of the rumble and noise caused thereby and for this reason the central opening has been covered with material other than metal. It has been the practice to stretch a wire of large mesh over a frame provided in the opening over which the fabric material was stretched to form the top. Suitable finish moldlugs and weather proofing materials were then employed between the fabric top material and the metal paneling bordering the top to form a finish having a dressy appearance and being weather proof.

In practicing my present invention I utilize a top panel made of fiber or other similar material to provide a body therefor and apply a layer of water proof fabric material on the top thereof to water proof the panel. I extend the inner side of the metal bordering panel at the opening to form an angle section for receiving the panel which is inserted immediately from the bottom and press the angle member against the panel to hold it in weather tight relation with the roof panel. By mounting the panel from the underside the smooth top surface of the metal bordering top panel section forms a neat joint with the roof panel and the angle member engages and retains the fiber roof panel in position after it has been deformed to press against the underside of the roof panel. Thus any distortion of the metal during the bending operation will appear only on the underside of the metal panel which will be later entirely covered by the finishing upholstering material which is provided on the inner surface of the body and therefore any distortion due 45 to bending and hammering will be completely concealed.

Accordingly, the main objects of my invention are to provide an improved method of supporting a panel against inwardly extending metal sides of the body to form a neat weather tight joint therewith; to provide a downwardly extending metal strip on the inner surface of the roof panel inwardly of the edge thereof which may be bent upwardly forming an angle member for engaging and retaining the roof panel in It was found through practice position against the side quarter panels; to form the downwardly extending flange by welding an angle member inwardly to the edge of the quarter panel or by bending the edge of the quarter panel reversely upon itself and downwardly to provide the independent fiange inwardly from the edge of the quarter panel, to retain the top and finish edge in fixed relation thereto; to form a drip channel by a bending of the edge of the bordering quarter panel and further bending the edge upwardly to form a shoulder adjacent the drip channel and applying the roof panel to said abutment by a fastening device with the roof panel abutting the quarter panel over the drip channel to form a weather proof joint; and, in general, to provide a simplified method of attaching a top element to the quarter panels of a vehicle body which is economical to perform and a material advance in the art of joining vehicle topsto the sides of vehicle panels.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will more readily become apparent throughout a reading of the following detailed description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a plan view of a portion of an automotive vohicle body having a top construction embodying the features of my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlargedcross sectional detailed view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 and illustrating the details and method of attachment of the roof construction of my invention.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross sectional detailed View of a structure similar to that shown in Fig--. ure 2 illustrating a modified form of my invention, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross sectional detailed view of a structure similar to that illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 showing a further modified form of my invention.

Referring now to the drawing in detail in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, I have illustrated in Figure 1 a vehicle body 7, having side and rear roof quarter panels 8. The inner edges 9 of the quarter panels border and form a central roof opening. A roof panel ID for covering this opening is provided which may be of fiber or any other suitable similar material. A top covering II of water proof fabric, or other similar material, is applied and secured to the top surface of the roof panel 10.

In the form of my invention illustrated in Figure 2 an angle member I2 is secured to the underside of the quarter panel 8 by spot welding or in any other suitable manner. The angle member I2 has a downwardly depending portion I3 which has the initial right angled form illustrated by the dotted lines in the drawing. The lowermost end of the portion I3 is turned in to form a lip I4. Such an angle member I2 surrounds the roof opening below the quarter panels 8 and spaced inwardly from the edge 9 thereof as shown in Figure 2. The roof panel I I] extends inwardly of the edge 9 of the quarter panel 8 to abut the downwardly extending portion I3 of the angle member I2. The roof panel I0 is mounted by inserting from the underside and raising it up to abut the underside of the quarter panel 8, and the portions I3 of the angle member I2 are then bent upwardly and deformed to the position illustrated in Figure 2 against the underside of the roof panel It to tightly clamp it in place against the underside of the quarter panel. The lip I4 of the portion I3 will extend vertically upward into the fiber roof panel IE3 when in final position, and will serve tostrengthen the joint, and in addition provides a moisture receiving channel I5 which will prevent the leakage of any moisture inwardly past the joint.

, In Figure 3 I have illustrated a' modified form of my invention which is the same as the form illustrated in Figure 2 in all the essential details except that the inner edge of the quarter panel 8 is bent back upon itself underlying the panel 8 to form a portion of double thickness at I6, and then extended downwardly to form the clamping portion 53 which is to be deformed and bent upwardly in the same manner and for the same purpose as the first described form of my invention illustrated in Figure 2.

It will be noted that in both forms of my invention illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 the upwardly deformed flanges will tightly clamp the roof panel in position to form a weather proof and a moisture proof joint by a simple bending operation. A decided advantage is obtained in performing this bending operation at the underside of the quarter panels 8 since no care need be taken in the bending and deforming operation to preserve the finish which will be subsequently covered with upholstery and finishing material on the inner side of the vehicle body I. At the corners, the depending portion I3 of the angle member I2 may be notched, preferably in the shape of an inverted V, to readily bend against the roof panel Ii]. Thus neither a finishing molding nor a dressing operation is needed after the clamping members are deformed into position.

In Figure 4 I have illustrated a further modified form of my invention in which the inner edge of the quarter panel 8 is bent downwardly at I? and then inwardly at I8, upwardly at I 9 and inwardly again at 20 to form a drip trough 2 I. The roof panel I0 is provided with an angle shaped metal frame member 22 which surrounds the outer edge of the roof panel and extends inwardly a considerable distance along the underside of the roof panel. A bolt 23 is passed through the lower portion of the angle shaped frame member 22 and through the portion 253 of the inner edge of the quarter panel 8 which lies below the roof panel and serves as a seat therefor. The head of the bolt 23 lies below the roof panel Ill and is covered thereby so that it is concealed from outside view. A nut 24. securely fastens the roof panel to said portion 20 of the quarter panel, and the frame member 22, which bounds the edge of the roof panel It, is adapted to abut the portion I I of the quarter panel. In this modification of myinventio-n a pleasing finish line will be retained at the outer surface of the roof panel and quarter panel and a secure weather proof joint will be provided since the drip channel member 2| will serve as a seal against weather. In this modification the protruding bolt and unfinished and uneven portions of the quarter panel will be on the inner side of the roof construction and will be covered by upholstery and concealed from View. This form of my invention is also very economical to manufacture and provides a great saving of labor in assembly of the parts because of the simple attaching operation required.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described without departing from the spirit and substance of the broad invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claim.

I claim:

The method of securing a roof panel in a roof opening surrounded by a border panel which consists in fixing an angle member to the underside of the border panel adjacent the opening and spaced inwardly of the edge of the border panel, inserting the roof panel from the underside of the border panel upwardly against the underside edge of the border panel between the angle member and the edge of the border panel, and bend ing the angle member upwardly against the underside of the roof panel to clamp it in position.

OTTO F. GRAEBNER.- 

